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Cheetah
I had a Cheetah in the 70's. I remember seeing the comercials of the kid slamming the pedals and spinning a 720 to a stop. It's all I could think about for months, I Had to have one! So I begged my mom for Christmas and asked Santa (he was a little confused about my Cheetah request). That Christmas I didn't get it, I was expecting it to be under the tree, but no Cheetah. I was bumed, and mopped around for a few days. But my birthday was a few days away so I had a second chance. I discovered it on my birthday when I went downstairs and found my older brother screwing it together. I remember it clearly because I flipped-out and started screeming, and I guess he was startled because he slipped the screwdriver into his index finger! He started screeming too. That Cheetah was the best thing ever! Like everyone remembers, it was fast! I had no trouble keeping up with my brothers Stingray, and could go miles on the thing. It could be considered the first recumbent bycycle. I actualy burned-out the drive mechanism on it within a couple weeks, so my mom to it back and argued with the store manager to give us a new one (in those days taking stuff back for exchange or a refund wasn't easy). I got the second one, which was great because the hard plastic wheels were new (I had smoked the wheels on the first one from so many spins, they had flat spots). About that time they paved a new culdesac next to our home. It was kind of a clover shape cudesac with a slight slope to it. My cheetah would screem on that new pavement, I'm sure I got up to 25mph on the thing! I went so fast with the pedals that the return spring in the wheel hub broke. My dad was able to fix it, but it was never the same. If I went anywhere near fast, the drive cables would slip off the spring hub, and he would have to fix it again. I still rode it around and all the kids thought it was the coolest. Eventually, my mom backed over the front forks and wheel with the car. My brother straightened out the forks, but the wheel was bent like a potato chip! I still rode it even then, but it looked more like a clown vehicle at this point. Anyway, I've been looking on the net for any trace of the Cheetah, and came across this site. I would like to find a picture too, or even better, a working Cheetah. I don't know why they don't bring this back. ---- I had one of these when I was a kid and it was probably the best thing I had up to 6 years old. I would love to find one for my child now. Are they still made? Do you know where I could look at one to get a good enough idea how to make it if they're not made anymore? Thank you I was wondering if you had a picture of the Cheetah. It was my favorite toy when I was a kid. I can't find a pic anywhere on the net. ---- Yes, the Cheetah chopper rocked. It did smoke everything else and it's what helped me love racing and motorsports. That winning feeling at a young age was great (although I had an unfair advantage and felt a little bad for the big wheel kids). Who did make it? There must be someone who has a picture of one. We need to bring that thing back! ---- It was alot like a chopper bike. It was built low to the ground, with one small tire in the front and two wide, plastic tires in back. You reclined in the seat and two pedals were in front of you. When you "pumped" each pedal alternately, the bike built up speed - a lot of speed! Pushing forward on both pedals at once would slam on the brakes, allowing the rider to skid and spin around. ---- Please forgive this note as it is not to add anything to the list but instead to thankyou for listing the Cheetah ride toy. I have searched the internet just wondering if there was anything on my favorite toy as a child in the 70's. The Cheetah was THE ride toy in my "hood" and nothing, not a big wheele, not the green machine NOTHING could touch it. I loved that thing with all my heart and you're description brought back memories I had lost. Thank you so much for helping my trip thru the past by remembering the best toy a kid ever had. ---- The Cheetah weblog http://cheetahridingtoy.blogspot.com ----